Crossed Paths
by Forest Angel
Summary: Laura Stevens reputation preceded her, known for her tough no nonsense approach to the job, she was now about to cross paths with Taylor’s team and they would end up handling the same case, with dire consequences if it isn't resolved soon.
1. Laura Stevens

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**1. Laura Stevens**

A blond woman in a short skirt and high boots and figure hugging top with spaghetti straps and short leather jacket, her hair in a rough pony tail was directing uniform officers in the alley when Danny Messer & Sheldon Hawkes arrived.

Danny didn't recognise her and by her attire assumed she was a "working girl". He called out to her. "Hey, 'scuse me you can't be here, this is a crime scene, you need to go back behind the tape."

She turned and looked at him asking on whose authority she was being kicked out. Danny introduced himself and Hawkes. The woman smiled to herself, she'd heard a lot about these guys, this was going to be fun, for a while at least. "Yeah, well its my crime scene so you're stuck with me". She snapped at him.

Danny looked at her asking who she was. "Laura Stevens, Vice". She lifted the side of her jacket to reveal her badge, then pulled it back down. He sighed and told her he should have realised she was undercover with her outfit.

"Yeah well I've just come off a double shift, I'm tired and my tempers shot, when you're done here I'm going home, so the quicker you're done the better." She shot at the CSIs. They asked for information on the case.

She told them their vic was Charlotte Alders, 29, from Philadelphia, known as Santana, in NY for 6 months. She was known to work from a bar on Lexington Avenue. She'd last been seen the night before around midnight leaving the bar. Laura also advised them to double glove due to the number of syringes in the alley.

Danny bristled at her reference to telling him his job and he said so. Laura merely advised him that they should be prepared. Hawkes commented on the amount of information which she'd given. Laura admitted that their paths had crossed a few times.

Danny and Hawkes went over and checked on the body as Don Flack jnr arrived and ducked under the tape. Danny looked up.

"Hey Flack! Looks like your sharing jurisdiction with her!". Don noted the presence of the woman and ran his eyes over her attire then turned to Danny. "What's it to you Messer? Just do your thing and leave me to talk to the nice detective."

He approached Laura and nodded for her to step aside so they could talk privately. "Kat, I hadn't expected you to be here". She reminded him it was her type of case. She then gave him details of the case and asked if he was ok to take over so she could go change and take a look at the vic's apartment. He agreed. "I'll check in with you later" she offered. He ran his eyes over her "wearing that outfit you can check in with me anytime." Laura glared at him "Save it detective, that may work on your girlfriend, not with me." He raised his eyes and asked "Are you sure about that?". She glared at him and told him he had the privilege of interviewing the guys on the trash detail who had found the body. He told her she was good to go and watched her walk away. Then he joined Danny & Hawkes. "Hey Flack, what would your girlfriend say if she knew you were checking out another girl's assets?" Asked Hawkes. Danny questioned whether she really existed as the team hadn't met her and they had apparently been going out for 6 months. "That's the way its gonna stay Messer, she's a nice lady and I don't want her mixing with bad boys like you." He told Danny. "Ah Flack, I'm hurt!" Danny claimed. "You'll get over it ... what have you got from the vic?" replied Don.

Meanwhile Stella and Lindsay entered an upscale bar on Lexington Avenue. As they talked about which detective had the case Jennifer Angell joined them in the bar from the back room. She told the CSIs that Don was working another case in Tribeca with Vice. "He'll love that, especially if Laura Stevens is involved." Stella commented, and told Lindsay how she met Laura during a previous case. Lindsay mentioned that Danny and Hawkes had the same case. Stella declared "Its gonna be an interesting day". They start to process the scene. Lindsay checked out the computer and tried to check for CCTV.

Laura was headed towards a subway station when her phone rang, she stepped aside on the pavement and answered it. She confirmed the identity of the body at the scene she had just left. In return they passed her some new information, she leaned against the wall of the bank and ran her hand through her hair. Her face dropped. "Are you sure its Constellation? Has Mark checked in?" She paused to listen to the response. "Yeah, I'll go." Laura hung up the call rubbed her hand over her face and turned back the way she had been walking and hailed a cab.

Laura entered the bar and stood for several minutes in the doorway. The place was a mess. Several areas had blood spatter and there was evidence of a disturbance. Stella looked over, "I guessed you would show up someplace today, but isn't Tribeca more your patch?" Laura looked up and went further into the bar. "Hey Stella, Tribeca wasn't a pretty sight, I've already been there. This isn't either. Who was the victim?" Stella screwed up her nose a little, "Stephen Marshall, 38, the bar manager."

Stella showed her his ID and Laura sank onto one of the nearby seats and puts her head in her hands. Stella asked if she was ok. "Did you know him?" "He- his real name is Mark Hendry, he's my partner." Laura forced herself to take a breath, knowing she had to give Stella more. "We spent months getting this place set up now its blown". Laura got up again and looked around, her feet still planted in the same spot.

Stella knew there was more going on which Laura wasn't going to be giving up easily. "Is there anything you can tell us about what you've been working?" Laura shook her head "I need to clear a few things first, but I will". Lindsay appeared from the back room "We've got the computer, but from what I can see the drive's been reformatted, safe's open no cash" she announced.

"That's not surprising" breathed Laura. Stella introduced the two women and explained Laura's connection. "We'll be here a while Laura, want to take a look around?" asked Stella. Laura shook her head. "I'll come back later, I'd better head over to the ME's office and wait for the autopsy report. We'll need to tell Mark's family." Laura turned and left. Stella and Lindsay continued to take samples from the blood and other debris around the room.

Mac entered and greeted Stella & Lindsay. " Town's gone crazy today, Lindsay I'm gonna have to pull you off this, we've got a db in suspicious circumstances a couple of blocks over." Lindsay asked about back up for Stella. "Danny & Hawkes are back at the lab, connect with them, there's a possibility you're working the same case, at least according to Vice, who'll be sharing jurisdiction with homicide." Stella nodded "we heard, our vic was undercover, his partner's on her way to see the ME". Mac nodded and asked Stella to keep him updated on the case.


	2. Getting to Know Each Other

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**2. Getting to Know Each Other**

Don and Danny were in the reception area outside Mac's office. Laura left the elevator. Danny sees her. "Hey thought you were off the clock." Laura saw the two detectives and took a breath. She could tell they were checking her out again, dressed as she was it wasn't unusual and she considered it a hazard of the job. "Hey, not so lucky I just pulled a triple and another case." Don could tell she was tired, she looked more drained than when they had met earlier. He asked if someone else could cover. "Not this time, my case just blew up and I'm running things at the moment." Danny pointed out the coffee pot in the breakroom. She asked if there was anything to eat as she was starving and missed breakfast. Don offered to take her to breakfast, she declined but asked him to bring a take out. Danny's pager went off and he looked at it and announced that he had to go. He told Laura the ME would be about another half hour, he promised to let her know when the report was ready. She thanked him as he disappeared into the lab.

"Kat, you sure you're ok?" Don asked when they were alone. She nodded "I've got some calls to make". "I heard about Mark, I'm sorry" She nodded, then looked into his eyes, "I need to know what happened" He could see she was almost asleep on her feet. "We'll figure it out, go get your coffee I'll bring breakfast, what would you like?" She shrugged. "Surprise me I'm too tired to think." He nodded and left.

Laura was half asleep in a chair in the breakroom when Stella entered. Laura sat up. Stella noted the exhausted look about her and asked how she was doing. "I feel like I could sleep for a week right now. I could use a shower to wake me up. Is there any news on Mark and Charlotte?" Stella shook her head, "Not yet I'm sorry".

Don entered with a holdall and a brown bag. He greeted Laura and gave her the bag. "This was just left at reception for you". She looked up. "Someone read my mind ... Stella is there someplace I can change?"

The older woman nodded. "Flack if you're waiting, make yourself useful the coffee pot's empty."

Stella showed Laura to the locker room and got her set up with some shampoo and a towel. Laura thanked her. "Who knew to drop you off a change of clothes?"

Stella asked. Laura looked at her, "Boyfriend. I managed to speak to him briefly earlier. I didn't know he'd manage it so quick". "Boyfriend? Been together long?" Laura was non specific about how long she had been seeing him. "That must be tough when you're working undercover and strange hours."

Laura looked at her. "He's on the job so he knows the score. We haven't seen each other in a couple of weeks. Our off time hasn't coincided and the case has been taking more of my time."

About 20 minutes later Laura entered the breakroom wearing a pair of black trousers and a pale blue blouse, her long hair hung around her shoulders still damp from the shower. Danny saw her first.

"Detective Stevens?" Danny breathed, "Wow you clean up nice, not that the other outfit didn't look good on you." Don chipped in teasing Danny "Hey, Messer, be careful what you say her boyfriend's on the force" Laura smiled. She was feeling awake at the moment and was enjoying the moment between the two friends, but she added her own taunts. "Nice of you to try and protect me Detective Flack, but I'm quite capable of taking down Detective Messer here if I wanted to." Danny looked up at her face, "that sounds like a challenge" he said. "I could make it one if you wanted" she replied. Don watched them, he asked her if she was sure. Danny protested "Hey Flack quit protecting her, she made the challenge," Danny turned to Laura "I'll let you know where and when." Laura glanced at Don then asked Danny what the bet was. They agreed on a $100. Danny's pager beeped. He checked it and left.

Don watched Laura as he handed over the brown bag he'd brought in with him earlier. She sank into a chair opposite him. "you sure you're ok Kat? You could catch a couple of hours sleep at my place until we've got something to go on?" She looked at him, "You know they're going to suspect something soon.?" He grinned, his eyes sparkling, "Yeah, well I can have some fun for a bit longer".

Stella entered and told them the autopsy results were in on their victims. Laura looked up and asked what they were, she had to know. Stella nodded. "Mark put up a fight, lots of defensive wounds" she paused a moment then continued. "Laura, he was tortured, both kneecaps broken, crushed fingers" Stella stopped again as Laura buried her head in her hands. Laura looked up "Cause of death?" Stella was reluctant to continue, but if Laura was on the case she needed to know. "Gunshot through the back of his neck, after he'd been beaten." She concluded that someone wanted something badly and Mark wouldn't give it up. She asked Laura if she knew what it might be. She paused then nodded. "I have a good idea, if I'm right Mark and Charlotte aren't the only ones they're after. I have to see my boss." She pushed herself up from the chair. Don got a sinking feeling in his stomach as he watched her. "Who else is in danger?" He was afraid of the answer. "Later, I've gotta go" She grabbed her handbag from the table and left. Stella and Don looked at each other. "Go with her, don't let her out of your sight. She knew both of them, it's possible they'll go after her too." Don was already half out of the chair, having had the same gut wrenching feeling. "I'm going, I was afraid that's what you'd say". Don caught up with Laura at the elevator and offered to drive her.

They entered the squad room at Laura's precinct. The room was buzzing with officers preparing for the day, some were obviously ready to go undercover which was obvious with their attire. Several people greeted Laura as she walked to her captain's office, but she barely noticed them. She walked into the corner office and closed the door. Don dropped into the chair at the desk she indicated. He looked over her desk, it was pretty neat, except for a pile of papers and a photo. He reached over and picked it up. It was the same as one he had at home.

_**AN:**__ Please review. Would you like this to continue? _

_Suggestions welcome._


	3. Past and Present

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**3. Past and Present**

Holding the photo of him and Laura, it had been taken shortly after they met. He'd never met anyone quite like her. He thought about their first meeting.

_He entered the gym. Several physiotherapists were working with people around the room. He leant against the wall while his therapist, Suzi, finished with the woman with her. Suzi was as tough as any cop on the street, even though there was hardly anything of her, but it was the woman she was working with who caught his eye. She was slim and athletic looking, her blond hair tied up in a pony tail. She was wearing grey sweat pants which sat on her hips and a close fitting navy t-shirt. She was trying to swing across the monkey bars and with her arms stretched above her head her top had ridden up exposing her stomach, which Don noted was well toned. _

"_Shit Suzi, you want me to break it again?!" She barked as she dropped from the bars and rubbed her wrist. He grinned at her reaction, he had some sympathy for her, Suzi pushed him too, sometimes more than he thought his body was ready for, especially after the sessions, when he was in agony from the workout his muscles had just had.._

"_My next appointment is here, you want to take a breather and practise some more and I'll check on you after" Suzi nodded at Don acknowledging his arrival._

"_I couldn't do it before I broke it what makes you think I'll be able to do it now?" The mystery woman moaned._

"_Yeah well if you want back on active duty you need to meet the requirements and for that you need to go across here. Laura, I know you can do it" Suzi replied._

"_Doesn't look like I've got a choice …..OK"_

_Laura went over to the bench next to where Don was standing and picked up a bottle of water and drank some. _

"_I'm glad she doesn't just pick on me … what happened?" Laura looked up at him, her eyes were blue, not the same as his, they were paler with flecks of grey, he thought they were beautiful and he found it very hard to take his gaze away from them to listen to what she was saying. _

"_Bad fall taking down a pervert, broke my wrist …. You?" _

"_How about I tell you over coffee after?" He offered, just maybe coffee and conversation with her would take his mind off the agony his muscles would be in after the session. _

_She grinned at him, and nodded. "Anything's better than desk duty, they can manage without me a bit longer"_

_Suzi approached them. "Don, how have things been? You set?"_

A door banged in the office and he looked up and lay the photo down on her desk. Laura was standing by the desk he could tell she was fuming. Her eyes were hard and determined.

"I'm off the case! Doesn't matter that I'm the only link to what's going on, they're sending me home!" she snapped, not really at him, but he just happened to be there.

She opened a drawer in her desk and removed a folder then started to leave. Don followed her in some ways sending her home was good, she was exhausted, but if she was the only link on this case then they needed her. He started to follow her as she stopped in the doorway.

"I've been told to keep a low profile, stay at home … this is my case!"

He sympathised with her frustration, he'd seen this sort of thing happen enough times around his own precinct. He had to pick his words carefully or he would end up a target of her temper too. He guided her out of the squad room and to a corner of the reception area.

"They do have a point Laura." She shot him a look which made the hair on his neck stand up, as her eyes turned her anger to him. He rushed to continue. "Hear me out. You're as involved in this case as Charlotte and Mark were … you could be their next target. … I agree with them about keeping a low profile, but you're not going home. If they track you they'll know where you live, we'll head back to the lab and talk to Mac first. … You've got to admit that this is not your usual case. This is what I do. … Let us handle it, we'll get the guys responsible, but we'll need your help."

She looked up at him his eyes pleading with her, she half collapsed against the wall as the adrenalin rush from her anger gave way and she knew what he said made sense. "You mean that?"

"Yeah, I do. I know what you're working on is sensitive is there anything you can tell us?" She shook her head, "they told me not to discuss the case with anyone. I tried to tell them, they just wouldn't listen" She sighed.

"They'll listen to me, I'll talk to your Captain and straighten this out on one condition." He watched her closely and she gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head. "Back at the lab you get some sleep, I'm sure Mac will let you crash on his sofa ….. If you're gonna help I need you awake and alert." Laura closed her eyes in acknowledgement. She was almost asleep on her feet. "Everything will be OK babe" He tried to reassure her. She nodded as she slid into a chair next to her.

Don went back into the Squad Room.

Later back at the Lab Don, Laura, Stella and Danny descended on Mac's office. He sensed trouble and put down the file he was looking at. "What's up guys?"

Stella began filling Mac in on the details they had so far. "We think there's a link to our 2 cases and Laura has inside information about the operation they were running." Mac looked concerned. A brief glance at the detectives in front of him told him this was going to be a bad case for everyone and that he might get drawn into division politics, a game he hated. He didn't realise then just how bad things were going to get in the next 36 hours. He sighed. "You'd better start from the top."

_AN: More of the team and case in the next chapter._


	4. Who, What, Where

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**4. Who, What, Where …..**

Laura began bringing everyone up to speed with what she knew and the undercover op. She took a deep breath and began her explanation.

"1st victim, Charlotte Alders, alias Santana from Philly. Danny did you find anything on her?" Danny shook his head. "One prior for prostitution in Philly about 6 months ago."

Laura asked if they'd also checked her finger prints. "No, should we?" asked Danny.

Laura nodded. "Just to plug the gap. She's really Charlotte Ambrose, from DC …. She's FBI."

Mac, was resting his chin in his hand, the niggling feeling he'd had all morning intensified and his head began to pound. This definitely wasn't going to be an easy case, and it was definitely going to get very political, not only were they sharing jurisdiction with Vice they would now have to deal with the Feds.

"We've been trying to break into a human smuggling/prostitution ring run by Asian gangs with most of the girls coming from the orient. The ones we're aware of are all underage. Mark was running it with me. Charlotte was working the case for the Feds, we didn't know till last week. Since then we've pooled our information and we've worked together. We've got several others undercover with the gangs, the bar was the drop zone. Our options to contact them are extremely limited." Laura paused and looked round the assembled group. "Officially I've been told to back off, but I know I can help. Mark and I have worked on this case for about 4 months, if he's hidden information I don't know who else would know where to look. Stella says that Mark was-" She rocked on her feet, Don who was closest placed his hand in the small of her back to support her. She took a deep breath then looked up to him, her eyes conveying her appreciation, before continuing. "That they wanted information from him."

Mac sighed. "We're going to have to move fast on this, and we'll get heat from all sides. The FBI will probably want to take over the case, but we've got an interest too."

"Where would he keep any information about the op?" It was Stella who asked. Laura looked up and ran a hand over her face before she replied. "No where obvious, but it would also depend on how much time he had, there's a place at the bar and a locker at Grand Central. Did you find any keys?"

"There were a couple we found, stuck between cushions in a booth. Could you identify them?" Stella asked.

Laura nodded, "I should be able to." Mac saw a way forward. "OK Laura you take a look at the keys and identify the one for the locker. Danny you and Sheldon go pick up anything that's there and take uniforms with you. Flack go with Stella and Laura to the bar, get anything else you can from the scene. Laura was there a plan if Mark wasn't at the bar? Were any of the other staff involved?"

Laura shook her head. "Just us, I was the back up, but our guys won't come back there now, not with the publicity this is going to get. I need to place an ad in tomorrow's New York Times and I need a disposable cell phone, they'll call me if they have anything, but my boss wont authorise it. Says they'll have to come back in, which is the instruction if they have not seen a message within 2 days. That could be disastrous for the case, all our work would be wasted and Mark would have died for nothing!" Laura shook with exhaustion and emotion. Stella stepped over to her and rested a hand on her arm.

Mac could see the sense of her argument, to a point. "Don't worry I'll talk to your boss. For now check the keys and the bar." The meeting over everyone left and Mac picked up the phone for the first of what he feared would be many calls in that political game he was being drawn into.

Down at Grand Central Station a short while later Danny and Hawkes approached the locker identified by Laura. Danny held an evidence bag with the key, at the last moment he slipped it into his gloved hand and opened the locker, inside was a small envelope he took it and put it in an evidence bag which Hawkes held out. Danny closed the locker, removed the key and replaced it in the evidence bag before they turned away and left.

Meanwhile uptown Stella, Laura and Flack entered the back room of the bar which was used as an office, Laura was visibly shaken by the mess there which is worse than the bar area, she looks around, then goes to the fire door and opens it a few feet into the corridor she stops and kneels down, before running her hand along the floor where it joins the wall, then runs her hand around the brick and pulls it free behind it is a notebook and a pc USB stick, she takes them and drops them into the evidence bag Stella is holding, she puts the brick back as she found it, and Flack offers her his hand to stand up. She was pale and her eyes were puffy and red, where she'd been almost constantly rubbing them for the last few hours. As he pulled her to her feet Don could tell it wouldn't be much longer before she collapsed completely. She had been catching short bursts of sleep in the car and at her precinct while he talked to her boss, but that wasn't enough to live on. He made sure she had found her balance before he let her go.

"Nice job, I wouldn't have seen that" Don commented. Laura looked over her shoulder, "That's the idea, unless you knew where to look you wouldn't. The hallway has 2 fire doors, Mark and I were the only ones who new the codes to turn off the alarm and it's the only place not covered by CCTV. It was deliberate because then if someone was trying to get out here we'd know."

Stella looked around the office area then to Laura. "CCTV? Lindsay checked."

Laura looked at Stella, "Please tell me you have the disk" Stella screwed up her nose, "we didn't find anything not even a camera."

Laura went to the corner of the room, then down some stairs to the basement, Don started to follow her when she returned holding a DVD case, which she handed over to Stella, who kept her eyes on Laura. "Let's get this stuff back to the lab, see what it tells us and while we do that, you can hit the couch in Mac's office, before Flack has to carry you, not that I think he'd mind, but it won't do much for your reputation, falling asleep on the job."

"Hey, Stell, give her a break, she's been going for almost 36 hours straight, tell me you wouldn't be in the same condition under the circumstances" Don countered.

_**AN:**__ Chapter 5 Taster: Back at the Lab the team compare notes on the case. A new victim is identified and Laura comes under more pressure._


	5. No Progress

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**

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****5. No Progress**

Adam and Hawkes were working in the AV lab on the USB stick found at the bar.

"This is going to take a while, its got a pretty sophisticated encryption code" announced Adam. Hawkes sighed.

This case was throwing up more curve balls than they'd seen for a while. "What about the computer from the bar, will that be any good?" he replied. Adam shook his head and told him the hard drive was too damaged to get anything from it, and the best thing was if they actually had the encryption key. Hawkes offered to ask Laura about it. Adam then diverted his attention to the CCTV disk as Hawkes left.

In another part of the lab Stella and Danny were studying the other finds of the day, gradually processing the items for fingerprints and other marks. Stella was reading through the note book while Danny had the envelope from the locker. He opened the envelope and slid out the contents carefully, to reveal a key and a piece of paper, which he unfolded.

"Isn't this case secret enough already?" He complained when he read the note.

Stella looked up. "What's up?"

"I've got another key and a note with the letters K-A-T." At this point Hawkes entered and they looked up.

"Hawkes tell me you've got good news" said Stella hopefully.

He shook his head, "I wish I could, but I'm running on empty".

Lindsay joined them and Danny sighed despondently. "Hey Montana, you don't wanna know what we've got." She looked at everyone and opened the file she had in her hand.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Mac told me to check my case with yours. My DB this morning has been identified as James Alders, 35, a lawyer from Philadelphia, his wife, Charlotte, came with him when he transferred about 6 months ago. She's currently missing and our prime suspect." Announced Lindsay.

Stella sighed and asked about time of death. Lindsay confirmed it had been registered at about 5am. Danny sighed this time. "Well you can just scratch you prime suspect we found Charlotte Alders at 6am this morning in Tribeca, she was killed last night."

Stella saw Don in the corridor and called him to join them. "Where's Laura?" He confirmed she was still asleep on Mac's couch. "I know she's exhausted but we're gonna need her to unravel what's going on. I wish we didn't have to disturb her, but we can't get anything from the locker contents or the stuff from the bar." Conceded Stella. "Also Angell's on her way to do Laura's interview with you. We're keeping IAB out at the minute, but we may not be able to for long." Don nodded. "We'll take a break for an hour, grab some lunch and try again" Stella suggested.

"I'll phone orders through to the Green Dragon in 10 minutes, what shall I order for Laura?" asked Lindsay. Stella said she would ask her.

"S'ok Stell, you finish here I'll go". Don announced and left before anyone said anything.

Hawkes watched him leave. "Am I missing something?"

"With Flack? … He's been on edge all morning" replied Stella.

"Maybe he had a row with his girlfriend" suggested Lindsay.

"That's if she exists. How long has he been seeing her and he still hasn't told us her name." complained Danny who always hated being the last in the loop for information and Stella knew it.

"Just because we hear all about your conquests doesn't mean everyone else has to do the same."

A short while later Stella & Hawkes were adding information to a whiteboard in the breakroom, while Danny & Lindsay were sorting out the boxes of food. Laura entered, and Stella looked over at her. "Hey, sorry about this."

Laura shrugged her shoulders. "Don says you need me, but I'm not sure how much use I'll be, we haven't really uncovered anything."

"… what can you tell us about James Alders?" Stella asked softly. Laura turned pale and rocked on her feet. She grabbed hold of the table in front of her and took a deep breath before sliding onto a chair rubbing her hands across her face, crossing her arms and leaning on the table then speaking. She knew what they were about to tell her.

"... James Ambrose, Charlotte's husband, also FBI, ... I ... I haven't seen him in 3 days. James worked out of a law office down town, he was a lawyer before joining the bureau. ... what happened?"

"He was found at home this morning by a neighbour, a single gunshot, ... execution style ... I'm sorry." Lindsay informed her.

Laura lay her head on her hands, after a moment she got up and left the room without saying anything.

"Carry on, I'll talk to her" Stella instructed before she left. She found Laura in the locker room sat on a bench her head in her hands. "Laura, are you ok?"

Laura looked up, she'd been crying, "I'm sorry, I just need a few minutes." They were quiet for a moment then Laura started to speak.

"I should have gone home last night, at least I may have got some sleep, instead I left the bar and went back to chasing leads into disappearing circles, and then getting into it with my boss about overtime, I picked up the call to the alley as I was heading home, ... We've been on this case for 4 months and got no where, what I can't work out is what suddenly happened to get here, when I left Mark this morning he never said anything"

"Flack and Angell will need a statement about when you last saw them all … they'll be ready soon"

"Of course, where?"

"My office …. Take your time" Stella walked to the door.

"Stella …. Thank you" Laura sighed, Stella had been tying to protect her all morning knowing how tired she was and how upset she had been at what happened to Mark.

_

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Please review_


	6. The Interview

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**6. The Interview**

After leaving Laura in the locker room Stella rejoined the team in the breakroom, wishing they could find something which would help get to the bottom of this case. They now had 3 bodies, one NYPD cop and 2 Feds, Mac was having to play politics, which she knew he hated. What bothered her was the distinct lack of information which surrounded this case. It had to be linked to the undercover operation, but they still hadn't made the connection.

Stella entered the room and Hawkes looked up asking if Laura was alright. Stella sighed, "They got her partner and 2 other undercovers, lets nail these guys before they get her."

Danny flicked through a file and looked up at the board. "All the cases are connected and all on the job, what blew their cover?"

"And why the different murder methods?" added Lindsay.

Hawkes looked at the assembled group. "Different motives, they wanted information from Mark, which going on the injuries he refused to give up ... James Ambrose, just had to be eliminated, Charlotte also took a beating before being stabbed, they wanted something from her"

Stella tapped her pen on her hand a moment as she thought, then she screwed up her face as she had a spark of realisation. "That's it! Charlotte was killed first, she probably gave them the bar, Mark was the one holding the cards, stands to reason they'd want whatever he had, Hawkes I think you're right he didn't give it up. The only one at the moment that they can't get at is Laura. She's the key to this whole thing and doesn't know it, that also makes her top of their hit list."

Adam joined them. "I just got through the CCTV, its all on tape, 3 guys, balaclavas, assorted weapons, arrived around 0230 right after Laura left, they never found the camera, ... it wasn't pretty"

"Tell Flack and don't let Laura near it, where's Mac?" Stella took charge.

"Mayor's office with the DA and FBI arguing over jurisdiction and working up a strategy to handle the media." Hawkes replied.

Stella looked at Danny, "Danny, beep him we need him here". The assembled group nodded their agreement with the assumptions she had just made. It felt like progress, but they still didn't know any hard facts.

Meanwhile, Laura had left the locker room and made her way to Stella's office where Don was waiting for her. She pushed the door open and entered, Don looked her over, he could see her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, a clear sign she had been crying. He noted the effort it took her to open the door. She was still exhausted, after all she had only slept for a couple of hours. "You sure about this?" he asked, hoping she'd ask to postpone this. He wished he could protect her from everything that was happening, but it was beyond his control, she had to make a statement and he was grateful that Mac had kept IAB out of things for the moment. Laura looked up at him.

"I'd rather get it over with" she answered her voice soft, full of emotion and exhaustion. He nodded, "I have to put it on record" he advised her gently. "I know … where do you want me to start?" Before he had a chance to reply Angell arrived and took charge.

"Detective Stevens? … When did you last see Mark Hendry?" She immediately directed at Laura, not even acknowledging Don.

"About 2.30 this morning, we closed the bar around 2. Mark was doing the books in the back office, I helped the staff clean up. They left around 2.20. I spent a few minutes with Mark, we agreed to …. We were … going to have lunch today" Laura struggled to retain her composure. "I left just before 2.30"

"Where did you go then?" asked Angell, Laura took a breath "the precinct, I took a cab from Lex and 53rd, arrived around 2.45 and stayed till around 5.30, then started to go home"

"What do you mean starting to go home?" Angell pushed. Don barely formed a question before Angell had jumped in again, "I got the call on my way home, I was the nearest detective to Tribeca to take it. I was on the scene when Detective Messer and Dr Hawkes arrived"

"When did you last see Charlotte Ambrose?" This time Don got a question out. Laura looked up kind of grateful that he'd stepped in she was beginning to dislike the other woman. "About midnight in the bar, she left a few minutes later, one of the staff saw her get into a dark coloured sedan, they didn't take any more notice, we saw each other a couple of times a week, mostly at the bar, occasionally we would run into each other on the street, I only found out she was undercover about a week ago, I got suspicious of how she was acting and confronted her."

"Where did that run in take place?" Angell again. "The ladies room at the bar, we were the only ones in there" Laura answered. She ran a hand over her face. Don saw Adam outside and excused himself.

Angell continued bombarding her with questions about her relationship with Mark. Laura nodded, "Mark was my partner for 2 years… We'd been undercover on this case for 4 months, I was his girlfriend." "Were you seeing other people?" Angel shot back, Laura nodded "Mark was married, they live in Westchester, when this case ended he was switching to be closer to home." Don re-entered the room and his stomach dropped as he heard Angell's next question. The subject was bound to come up at some point. "You have a boyfriend Laura?" Laura looked up at her, she chose her words carefully. "Yeah I'm seeing someone, the case has been pretty full on for a couple of weeks now, so we haven't seen much of each other."

"What have you told him? Does he know about the case you were working?" Angell felt that Laura was holding back, she could tell she was tired, but they needed answers and right now she was looking a pretty good suspect as she knew them all and was the last one to see at least 2 of them alive.

"A little, he knows about Mark and that I'm undercover if that's what you mean" Laura put some confidence into her voice that she didn't feel, she knew Angell was baiting her.

"What gave you the impression your boyfriend could be trusted not to give up that information? What was he doing last night?" Laura glanced at Don before looking at Angell again "He can be trusted, he's in the job, and no I don't know where he was last night, I've not seen him in a couple of weeks, due to the case"

Angell decided that they needed more. "We'll need to check who is it?" Laura paused, Don decided to take the heat a little "Still the same guy Laura? … I'll talk to him." Laura nodded weakly then put her head in her hands. "A name would be nice" Angell pushed again. Don replied "I know who it is … Laura do you need a break?" He tried to give her an opportunity to delay anything else. She shook her head. "No, what else do you need to know?"

Angell asked about the last time she'd seen James Ambrose. Laura told her it was a few days before when he collected Charlotte from the bar. "Did you talk to anyone about the case last night?" Angell asked, a little irked that Laura was not offering much additional information. What really annoyed her was the negative response from Laura. "No one at all? I find that hard to believe if you were up all night working on it!"

"Charlotte and I only had a brief exchange last night, Mark was busy with the bar accounts when I left, which is why we arranged lunch today" Laura told them. Angell leant over the desk and had her face close to Laura's "Did you make any attempt to contact James Ambrose, warn him about where Charlotte was going?"

Laura rubbed her face again, trying to stop her eyes itching, she wanted to lay down and sleep, Angell was impatient "Did you contact James Ambrose?" Laura looked her in the eye "I had no reason to … I don't know where Charlotte was going or who she was meeting, I'd assumed she was going home"

"So you did talk to her?" Angell was determined to get answers. Laura shook her head before answering "I arrived a few minutes before she left we acknowledged each other, she finished her drink and left." Cop or not Angell had had enough, Laura was stalling and it was time to end it.

"You didn't talk about anything at all? You don't know where she went, you didn't warn her husband about her meeting? What did you do Laura? Call the gang and tell them who you were working with? Did you sell them out? Is your boyfriend in on it?" The tone in Angell's voice made Laura mad.

"No! I had nothing to do with them being killed!" Laura yelled back, then sank into a chair.

That was enough for Don, Angell had pushed enough. He could tell Laura couldn't go on he could see her trying to follow the list of accusations thrown at her, but hadn't really heard them.

"Angell! Enough outside, now!" he growled at her. She looked at him, she couldn't tell what had made him so mad all of a sudden. She complied with the demand and left the room. Don glanced at Laura then followed.

_**AN: What happens between Don & Angell outside? Answer coming up in next chapter…..**_


	7. Angell and a Confession

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

* * *

**7. Angell and a Confession**

Don rounded on Angell as they stood outside Stella's office, his stomach in knots trying to keep calm but at the same time furious that Laura was subjected to an interrogation like a common criminal.

"What the hell was that?! She's exhausted. She's also one of us give her a break!" He yelled at her.

Angell looked at him her face stern and devoid of emotion. "Don't you think its weird she's avoided becoming a target?"

"Doesn't mean she isn't ... She's been at the precinct or here for the last 12 hours!" He shot back.

"That's convenient don't you think? Besides we only have her word what time she left the bar!" Angell countered.

Don sighed "Adam just reviewed the CCTV, it confirms she left before Mark was attacked. 3 guys in balaclava's, they have the whole thing recorded ... I spoke to her Captain earlier, he confirmed she was at her desk most of the night ... She's off the hook." He told her forcefully.

Angell shook her head "What about the boyfriend, she wouldn't give us his name she could be covering for him."

Don looked at her, the muscles in his face taut as he controlled his temper. He stepped forward and stared in her eyes, his height emphasising his ability to control the situation. "Listen to me, I'm only gonna say this once. ... Back off Angell! ... I told you I know who it is, I'll handle it, ... She's off the hook."

"For now ... I'm gonna take her down Flack, she killed 3 people in cold blood, you gone soft on her or what?" Angell knew she was pushing, she also knew Don was right on the edge of losing it with her, but she wanted answers to this case, he hadn't seen what she had at the bar, the state of Mark's body, she was almost physically sick at the gruesome sight.

"She's a cop working an undercover case who's been up for nearly 2 days, that doesn't mean she's bad, you're still a rookie, you've got a lot to learn about this job!" He spat at Angell. He knew that Laura wasn't responsible, but they had nothing in this case that did make sense and right now he was sick of the attitude of the woman before him. "I suggest you get out of here now before I report you to IAB for harassment and intimidation." He knew it was stupid and childish, but right then he didn't care. He didn't want Angell anywhere near Laura or the case.

Angell gave up, she knew she had pushed too hard, she just wanted to get a break in the case, she was still relatively new to the job and didn't want a run in with IAB, and he would have had a pretty good case. She couldn't work out why he was being so protective, especially as they had only just met. Hadn't they? "I can't believe you just said that. But I'll give her space ... for now. Just remember this when I slap the cuffs on and arrest her!" She spoke in a low even voice which sent chills down Don's spine. Then she turned and walked away.

Don turned looking for a wall to punch to take out his frustration and anger, he saw Laura hunched over in a chair still in Stella's office, he sighed and ran his hand through his hair and took some deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, before going back in.

Laura jumped and looked up as the door closed. She was relieved to see Don return alone.

"Thank you ... I don't know how long before I would have throttled her, please tell me you haven't."

"No, but she's convinced you're involved."

"Of course I'm involved, it was my case and Mark was my partner and I would have been the last one to see him alive! I never killed them!" Laura's voice was strained and shaky.

"I know, ... Laura, we've got everything in the bar on CCTV. If you'd have left 5 minutes later they would have had you too, they went in right after you left."

She looked up at him tears running down her cheek, he knelt down next to her and dried her tears with his handkerchief. "We will get them, I promise, right now Stella needs your help, are you up to it?."

Laura nodded as Don stood up then he held out his hand to help her up. He tightened his grip around her hand, the only comfort he could give her right now which wouldn't get him removed from the case. He couldn't do that, and leave her for Angell to rip apart. He really wanted to have his arms round her and never let her go, to have this nightmare over. He hated her job sometimes and this was one of those moments, but on the other hand he was really proud of her and what she did. She pulled her hand from his and tuned to the door.

Laura spent a couple of hours with the team going over the evidence piece by piece. There was too much and she was exhausted so when Stella told her to take a break, Don appeared to take her to get some food. They were sitting in a booth in Sullivan's when the team joined them. As they all sat down Laura and Don were squashed together, she lay her head on his shoulder, too tired to care who noticed. Hawkes noticed immediately. "You ok Laura?"

"Yeah, sorry, don't mean to be anti social but I still need sleep and I'm back on duty in an hour"

Danny eyed Laura and Don, he didn't seem too bothered about the fact that she was half asleep on him. "Hey Flack, didn't you say you had a date with your girlfriend?"

Don looked over "might have ... She's been called in again"

Danny couldn't let the moment pass "maybe that's a good thing seeing how you two are best buddies today." Laura's phone rang and she ushered the others out of the way so she could get up, and she took the call in a quieter corner of the bar. Danny was still determined to get information from Don, and he noticed he was watching Laura carefully. "Flack, ... thought she had a boyfriend, you shouldn't be checking her out like that!"

Don grinned. "What's wrong Danno? Scared she might see something she likes?"

Stella caught the look between the two. "Down boys, she told me she's really happy with her current relationship. So leave her alone."

Laura returned to the table as Don's phone beeped with a message, he flicked it open and read it, then grinned even more. "Well what ya know, my girl's got the night off after all."

It was Don's turn now to usher the others out of the way to let him out. Once standing he slipped an arm around Laura's waist and planted a semi chaste kiss on her lips as she leaned against him. Danny was a bit surprised at his friend's actions if he was about to go and meet his girlfriend. "Don't mind him Laura, he's celebrating, his fictional girlfriend just got the night off."

Laura looked at Don, then to Danny. "I know, who do you think sent him the message?" She could feel Don's hand tighten round her waist as he tipped his head and he whispered in her ear. Danny looked at them, the penny finally dropping. "You mean you two- you're- " he stammered. Don grinned wickedly.

"You mean I didn't tell you? Kat's my girl!"

* * *


	8. A Breakthrough

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**8. A Breakthrough**

"You mean I didn't tell you? Kat's my girl!"

Danny stared at the couple. Stella suddenly waved her finger in front of her "Wait what did you call her?"

"Kat, its my street name, he teases me with it" Laura answered. Danny caught on to where Stella was going with this. "Stella, the note!" She nodded. "We need to go to the lab now" Laura and Don looked confused.

"You haven't seen the stuff from the Grand Central Locker yet, its been puzzling us all afternoon, do you know what was in there?" Stella half explained.

"No, Mark wouldn't tell me" Laura confirmed as they gathered their things and prepared to leave.

Back in the lab a short while later Danny entered with the evidence box and Stella fished out the bags with the note and the key and hands them to Laura. "What can you tell us?"

Laura looked at the items and rocked on her feet as the door opens and Don enters, she looked up at him then eased herself onto a stool, never taking her eyes off him. "It's a key to my apartment, he wants me to know something is there."

"What?" asked Stella. Laura shook her head. "I don't know."

"We need to find whatever it is" added Danny. Laura tore her eyes away from Don as Stella spoke "If you don't mind us taking a look around Flack can take you home to get some sleep." "... I should go with you, I'll know what it is when I see it." Laura suggested, her exhaustion now showing in her voice as she struggled to make coherent sentences. Stella nodded and they repacked the evidence into the box, then left with Danny.

Laura lay her head on the counter on top of her crossed arms. Don rubbed her back, "We need to go ... Laura?" She forced herself to sit up "I'm sorry, ... I just ... I'm just so tired" He looked at her sympathetically "I know, we'll do this then you can get some sleep". Laura nodded and stood up but almost collapsed, Don caught her then wrapped an arm around her and escorted her out.

As they approached the door to Laura's apartment they noticed it was slightly open, Don, Danny and Stella pull their guns. Don pulled Laura back as she was about to open the door, and he carefully pushed the door to reveal her lounge in a mess where furniture and papers had been tipped over or out. Her DVD collection was scattered across the floor too. Danny and Don quickly checked the rest of the apartment, before letting Laura through the door, she was barely able to stand through exhaustion and shock. Don wrapped his arms around her as he pulled out his phone. "... How did they know? ... We've got an apartment Mark and I used for the op?" she asked, confused at the crossing of the case to her personal life. Don requested uniforms to attend the scene and informed dispatch that CSI were already there. He also requested information from them of any 911 calls in the last 2 days concerning the building. He turned to Laura "We need to know what they were looking for"

Laura looked up at him, her eyes were distant, she was having trouble focussing, he had to ask her the question again, before she told him she didn't know. Stella rested a hand on her shoulder. "can you take a look around, see if you find anything?" Laura nodded and took a deep breath and yawned. Then she staggered around the apartment. When she returned to the lounge Stella asked who knew Mark had a key to her apartment. Laura looked at Don before she answered. "No one, I didn't even know he had it."

"What could he possibly want to hide?" asked Stella. Laura yawned and rubbed her head. "Information" was the simple answer Laura gave her, then added "but you got that from the bar."

Stella screwed up her face "But we haven't got everything, we don't know what was on the memory stick because we don't have the encryption key"

Laura looked up "... That's what he's hidden here, ... my dvds"

Danny looked around the room there were hundreds of dvd boxes, a mixture of home made and commercial ones "how can we tell?"

"Look for-" Laura started but was cut off by Don "-The Horse Whisperer " everyone looked at him questioning how he would know, he looked at Laura "... it's your favourite movie"

They all looked round for a moment then Laura picked up a box "... here it is" she opened it and found 2 disks inside. She handed the 2nd disk to Stella who placed it in an evidence bag.

"I'll get this back to the lab for Adam to work on. Danny you finish up here. ... Flack, get Laura out of here, take her someplace safe where she can get some sleep" Stella went into command mode again a new surge of energy now they had a lead.

"I should come with you to help" Laura looked at Stella, who shook her head "Not tonight, you can barely stand you're so exhausted, get some rest and we'll start over tomorrow."

Don wrapped an arm around Laura's waist. "Stella's right Kat, you've done all you can now, let them do their thing, when they've got answers then we can work it. ... Stell, we'll be at mine, call us when you know anything?"

"You got it." She took a last look around the apartment before leaving. Don lead Laura out after her, leaving Danny to finish processing the apartment in case it gave them any more clues.

_

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Thanks to Soccer-Bitch for my regular reviews, I'm glad you like it._


	9. Cargo Ships and Bus Terminals

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**9. Cargo Ships and Bus Terminals **

Next morning Stella and Danny were in the AV lab with Adam. Now they had found the encryption key Adam had been up all night decoding the data, which they were now reviewing.

"Looks like the op was paying off, big time, Mark had everything ... what's this file?" Stella asked looking at the screen. They took a closer look, Danny commented that it was just a date. "And time, guys this is for tonight." Adam added.

"What could it mean though, what are those numbers?" asked Stella, clearly frustrated again as they hit another block.

Danny thought through the case quickly. "Laura said yesterday that they were working on human trafficking, Asian girls being brought in for prostitution right? ... How are they most likely to bring them in without detection?"

Stella's eyes lit up and she smiled. "Cargo ship! They could be container numbers. Adam can you run those numbers see if they are already here?"

Adam looked at her. "Sure but my guess is they are the ones coming in tonight, why else link them with the date."

Laura entered talking on the phone, sounding like she was making arrangements to meet someone, when she hung up she looked at the trio and told them it was one of their agents working with the gangs. Stella noted she looked a lot better and asked "Flack look after you?"

Laura smiled. "I guess, I slept for 12 hours! What have you got?"

Stella explained their theory and asked if Laura's undercover agent would know anything. Laura said he might, as he'd asked to meet her at Port Authority. Stella advised her to take Don with her as he entered the room.

Laura looked at Stella, knowing what Don's reaction would be "He wants me to go alone." As expected Don wasn't happy "You are not going anywhere alone until this is solved." Laura turned to him "I have to or he wont meet if anyone is with me."

Don conceded that she could be right, he didn't like the idea. "We'll fit you with a wire, we'll keep our distance." She looked at him, he raised his eyes at her. She knew he wouldn't back down and if she didn't agree he wouldn't let her go. She sighed. "OK you'd better make it good, I'm going undercover." He stared back at her. "Right now our priority is keeping you from being their next target."

They stared at each other for a minute their eyes communicating how each of them felt to the other like a secret language, then Laura tore her gaze away from Don and rounded on Adam. "Have you got everything off the memory stick now?"

Adam confirmed that he was almost done, but there was still one folder he hadn't been able to access but he would continue to work on it. Laura looked at him, he felt like her eyes were firing daggers at him as she spoke. "You need those files, you have to crack that code."

Before anyone could question her she walked out. Adam looked at Stella "I'll work on it, let you know what I find."

Just over an hour later Don was in the security control room at Port Authority directing the operation, he was following Laura on camera through the concourse. She was dressed in her undercover clothes from the previous day. Everyone was put on standby as she approached a man at the agreed meeting point. As Laura approached he turned and went through the boarding gate, Laura followed, but there was no camera so after checking with the assembled team if anyone could see them Don left the room and headed for the gate and carefully followed them into the corridor beyond the door, advising his team where he was.

He paused as his earpiece crackled and he heard Laura's voice greet the agent.

"Lose the wire Kat, my boss wants a word, I'm bringing you in." The agent told her. Don's stomach flipped and began tying itself in knots as he continued to listen to the exchange. Laura was calm, "What have you got for me?." Don could hear her take a deep breath as she waited for an answer, he knew she was nervous.

Finally the agent broke the silence. "Not that easy Kat, you saw what happened to Marshall, the man wants to see you, he sees you as the key to the whole op, I'm dead if I go back without you." Don fought to stay calm, he had to trust Laura to know what she was doing "Charlie, we're both dead if you take me"

"Then either way I'm screwed, I'm sorry about this but I have to try and protect my ass" he told her.

"Charlie, don't do this ... I am not going to do this, If Kwan wants a meet so bad he can do it on my terms." Laura tried to reason with him. Don didn't like the sound of what was happening, but he knew they didn't have the information they needed.

"Not an option Kat you know that, now drop your purse in that trashcan and lose the wire or I'll do it for you!"

There were sounds of a scuffle an a muted scream, an officer shouted into the radio "Flack we just lost the wire, her phone GPS too." Don felt his heart pound in his chest he fought the panic rising in him gasped and yelled into the radio "Move in now!" He pushed the door to the gate and entered the bus garage.

Two buses were just leaving, no sign of anyone other than port authority workers in uniform. While he pulled his badge from his belt he held the radio up "Two buses just leaving I want them stopped and get CSI down here now!" Holding up his badge he called to the workers "NYPD, any one just see a man and a woman out here?" They claimed not to have noticed who boarded the bus. Don asked where the bus was going. They told him.

Holding his radio in a shaking hand he tightened his grip as he yelled into it. "This is Flack, I want the schedules for all buses out of the south terminal which have left in the last 15 minutes and stop the one from 212 to Atlantic city before it gets to the tunnel!"

Two uniformed officers appeared and he turned on them. "No-one moves from here until this area has been cleared and CSI have finished. Understood?"

When they agreed Don went back into the corridor and found the trashcan as Danny and Stella arrived. He looked at them hardly able to contain the numerous different emotions racing through him. Stella asked what happened.

"He got the wire and her purse ... He took her Stell, right under our damn noses he took her!" He yelled.


	10. The Crime Scene

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**10. The Crime Scene**

Stella looked at Don, she knew he was partly blaming himself for letting things get out of hand, but underneath he was scared. She stopped him pacing and placed her hand on his arm.

"We'll find her, they won't get far. Danny take the trash can see if he's left anything besides Laura's purse. Don think did she get anything we can use?"

Don ran his hand through his hair and cursed. He couldn't remember what was said, everything was a blur. "It all happened so fast, it's all my fault, I should have insisted I went with her, we knew she was a target!" He ranted.

Stella squeezed his arm bringing his focus back. "We didn't expect anything from one of her team. Who was she meeting?" Don tried to think, "I don't know" all he could think about was finding her like they had Charlotte the day before. Then it hit him the name association. "She called him Charlie, his boss wanted to meet with her". Stella could tell he was trying to focus, "I need you to think, did they use any other names?" Don looked around as if he expected to find the answer at the scene. It was eluding him. "Qwin, Kwong, something like that it'll be on the tape."

Stella nodded she took his radio. "This is Bonasera, I want the wire tape sent straight to Sheldon Hawkes at the crime lab for analysis. Time is critical Detective Stevens is missing, looks like she was abducted."

Don turned and leant on the wall, trying not to throw up, his stomach churning his heart still pounding, he had never felt so useless. Danny had now retrieved Laura's purse with her gun and ID and the wire recorder from the trashcan along with a few other items. Don turned his head as Danny spoke.

"I think she put up a fight, the straps broken on her purse and I don't think she walked out of here. Smells like chloroform" He held up a handkerchief, Stella sniffed it. "Bag it, see what else you can find I'll take a look outside." Just then the radio crackled "All units the Atlantic city bus is clear, no sign of Detective Stevens, we've let it go."

Don suddenly pushed himself off the wall and thrust open the door to the garage making it hit the wall as he went through, Stella followed.

"Someone better start talking here, we have a missing detective that didn't leave this gate voluntarily so don't tell me you haven't seen anything! I want to know every detail of what happened here in the last 30 minutes!" He yelled causing everyone to look at him. The uniforms had met him before at scenes, and were surprised at his reaction to this one. Stella put a restraining hand on his arm again. "Don, we'll find her." He blew out a breath and deflated, half collapsing onto the kerb, Stella sat down with him.

"I'm scared Stell, what if its not in time? ... I told her she'd be ok, that nothing would happen." Stella looked at him. "She won't blame you for this, she'll blame herself for being talked into it by Charlie ... should you inform Gerrard?"

The mention of his boss was like an ice shower. He realised he would have to hold it together to have any hope of staying on the case. He stood up and stared at her "I am not getting pulled off this Stella, its my fault, I have to get her back, I'm going to check the CCTV, see if we get anything else." As he turned to leave Stella's phone rang. After a few moments she hung up.

"Adam cracked the last folder, he's found the code for 4 GPS trackers, he's running them now, but one is moving." Don looked at her. "Where is it?" Stella tried to break it gently. "A few blocks, he'll let us know when it stops."

Don felt like he couldn't breathe. "Is it Laura?" Stella shrugged "It's possible, equally it could be any of the undercover team."

"We should follow it." Stella stopped him, "Let's go over the CCTV first, it may give us something else to go on." Don wasn't convinced "But if its her they're getting away!" Stella stuck to her guns. "And by going now we could miss something important from the cameras! Adam will let us know where the signal goes." He nodded reluctantly.

In the Control room they reviewed the chain of events until everyone had disappeared into the zone with no camera coverage. Stella quizzed the operator about other exits and cameras from the corridor. He pointed out the service exit and brought up the camera at the exit door for the time period in question. They watched for a few minutes then Charlie and Laura appeared in the camera, she was obviously disoriented and unsteady on her feet, he propped her against the wall while he opened the door, she clearly put her hand on the wall and nudged him against the frame causing him to put his hand up as he helped her out. Don swore. Stella let out a gleeful yelp.

"Smart girl, she left us prints, we'll be able to ID Charlie!" She asked about external cameras at that exit, but wasn't impressed with the answer. She asked for copies of the recordings and the operator made them and handed over a couple of disks. Stella took her phone and called Danny and told them what they had found and that he should head for the exit and they would meet him there.

Danny packed up his kit and taking the evidence bags he had filled he followed Stella's instructions. He was lifting the final print when they arrived. Don watched Danny seal the print in the plastic.

"Danny please tell me you got something." Danny looked up at his friend, he tried to give him some encouragement "Sure have, she's a smart girl Donny, nice clear print from her and a pretty good partial palm and fingers from him." Stella gave Danny instructions to go back to the lab with the evidence and confirm an ID on Charlie. Danny asked if they were coming back.

"Not yet, Laura may still be in the area, we think she's carrying another tracker, where I don't know with her street clothes on."

"I do" Don paused. "I think, she's got this belly button piercing, Mark gave her a new thing for it last week, she's wearing it today, said she'd been keeping it for something special." Stella confirmed it was possible. Danny also added that the rhinestones on her jacket may be possible too. Stella agreed.

"OK, so we may have something, let's hope they don't find it. Danny get us results on that evidence ASAP".

_

* * *

Technology nowadays is great, but not sure if a tracker will fit in navel jewellery, but thought it sounded good!_

_I'm kind of on a roll with this at the moment, please keep reading._


	11. Tracking Laura

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**11. Tracking Laura**

Adam was tracking the GPS when Hawkes entered with the wire tapes. He ran them through the recorder to check the names then punched them into the computer, but came up empty. Adam told Hawkes that he'd traced the other trackers, to the lab. Hawkes was just about to go and check where they could be. He asked for an update on Laura's location as the circumstantial evidence pointed to her having the other GPS tracker. Mac as they studied the screen tracking Laura, Mac entered.

"Hawkes, what's going on? I just had to send Lindsay out on her own, no one else is around"

"Mac, I'm glad your back, have you spoken to Stella?" Mac shook his head waiting for answers. "Laura's been abducted, she went to meet one of her undercover guys and he knocked her out and took her from under the noses of the surveillance team. Stella and Danny are down at Port Authority trying to find out how they got her out. We're pretty certain she's wearing a tracker." Hawkes, quickly brought him up to date.

"They're heading across 42nd street and judging by the speed they're in traffic, they just turned south on 2nd Avenue, which is pretty clear at the moment for about 20 blocks" Adam announced.

Mac asked what other information they had. Hawkes proceeded. "Something big is going down tonight, possibly connected with a cargo ship, we've got no other details. Our 3 vics all had trackers, the signals are all here in the lab, I'm on my way to check their personal effects-" He got cut off as Adam cursed.

"I just lost it!" He panicked. Mac asked where the signal was lost. "Around 36th St" Adam answered, his voice shaking. Hawkes visualised the route, his hand moving as he thought, then he realised what had happened "There's an entrance to the Queens Midtown tunnel just off second."

"They're heading for Brooklyn. Adam watch when it comes out the other side, keep me informed where it goes." Mac ordered.

"Adam, did you get anything on cargo ships yet?" asked Hawkes. Adam told them the information was still going through the database, but he told them he would narrow the search to docks in Brooklyn.

"I'll call Flack and have SWAT on standby." Mac told them. Hawkes was watching the tracking display then turned to Adam. "Can we get this loaded to a PDA so they can track her at the docks?" Adam thought. "It'll take a bit of work because of the encryption but I should be able to."

Mac nodded. "Do it, they'll need it and for it to be precise if they're to locate Laura once they're there."

Mac and Hawkes left the lab to go follow their other activities and met Danny as he came out of the elevator, with a box of evidence.

"Hey Mac!" called Danny. "Danny, how are things? How's Flack holding up?" Mac replied.

Danny shook his head. "Not good, I've never seen him this bad over a case."

Mac smiled "It's called love Danny, tell me you wouldn't be the same if your roles were reversed and they had Lindsay?"

Danny stares at Mac, as realisation sets in that his boss knows about his relationship with his colleague. "You thought I didn't know? Keep it out of the lab and we won't have a problem" Mac told him and walked away.

A few hours later SWAT teams are gathering at an isolated warehouse near the docks. Mac arrives with Danny and Sheldon, Stella and Don are talking to the SWAT leader. Introductions over, Danny starts to give them the latest information from Adam as he hands Don the PDA tracking Laura.

"Adam says they've driven round most of the afternoon, probably ensuring they weren't followed. Signal's been stable for about 2 hours, warehouse 12. The same warehouse is being used to unload the Tseng Chao which docked an hour ago. It will take another 30 minutes before the first container is off loaded. The whole process will take about 4 hours. At midnight the return shipment will be loaded and she'll sail at 0800 tomorrow."

Hawkes added that the cargo was listed as auto parts and computers from Taiwan.

Mac informs the SWAT Leader that some containers may contain Asian women being brought in illegally and gives him the numbers which are expected to be on the containers. He looked at Don before continuing "They have 2 NYPD officers in there, whose cover may have been blown. One of them is Charlie Price the other is Laura Stevens, who has been heavily involved in breaking this gang up. They may have tried to find out from her if anyone else knows about the shipment and we don't know if she's been forced to give anything away". Don was fingering the PDA, hoping that she was ok, not knowing what he would do if she wasn't.

The SWAT leader looked at the team in front of him, he sympathised, he knew how he felt about his team, now one of their's was in danger. "I think we have to assume she has, so our op may not be a surprise. Mac I want your guys to stay back we'll let you in as soon as it's clear. You can monitor anything from the control van." He offered sympathetically.

"I'm coming with you" Don announced. The SWAT Leader opened his mouth to disagree but was cut off. "Either you take me in or I go myself, I can ID Charlie Price, the other undercover Cop!"

"I thought he was dirty?" questioned the SWAT Leader.

Mac told him they didn't know for sure, that they wanted him alive. "There's possibly this has been set up to get us here."

The SWAT Leader turned to Don. "OK detective, get your gear and you stick with me we go in 10."


	12. Rescued

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**12. RESCUED**

Laura was unconscious and tied suspended from the ceiling of the warehouse by her hands, her feet barely on the ground and further secured with a rope around her ankles linked to a ring in the floor and a gag in her mouth, no immediate signs of injury. Her jacket lay discarded a few feet away. Several Asians were talking in Mandarin across the room, they were apparently arguing. Charlie entered with the boss, Kwan who barked out some orders in Mandarin and two of the men went towards Laura.

Charlie asked Kwan what they were doing. Kwan looked across at Laura and smiled. "We have a surprise waiting for your friend. They are going to prepare her." Charlie didn't fully realise what they had planned, but he knew from the looks they were all giving her it wasn't good. "That wasn't the deal, you said you just wanted her out of the way for a while" he said.

Across the room Laura began to stir, she quickly realised she was tied up and from the pain in her arms how. She kept her head down, and opened her eyes and looked from under her hair where it fallen across her face like a curtain. She forced her mind to clear from the fog and concentrated on Charlie and Kwan.

"I've changed my mind, I hadn't realised how pretty she was, I can sell her for a very good price" Kwan told Charlie. Laura saw Charlie shake his head "No, leave her alone!" Kwan smiled at him, "Ah! Are you feeling guilty that you brought her here, don't worry that wont last."

Kwan raised his eyes at one of his team who raised a gun and shot Charlie a single shot between the eyes, Laura jumped and screamed, muffled by the gag.

Outside the SWAT team had deployed to their final positions before moving in. The SWAT Leader barked into his radio "Shot fired, anyone got a visual?"

SWAT team 2 reported back "Looks like they just shot a male, possibly IC1, they have another hostage across the room, no visual, but it looks like they're getting ready to move"

SWAT Leader asked for anyone with a visual on the second hostage. Team 3 reported back "IC1 female, she's tied up. I can't tell if it's Stevens. Looks like she might be conscious."

Don heard the report he looked at the blip on the PDA in his hand the lowered his head to his hands and took a breath, while they confirmed the description, Don looked up. "It's Laura."

Team 3 reported a crate being moved around the warehouse, ready for something to be loaded. As they reported Team 4 broke in "1st container unloading, and it's the same number we got from Taylor's group."

The SWAT leader looked along the line of his team then ordered everyone ready to go in. Team 3 told him that Kwan was approaching Laura. Don couldn't contain himself any longer "We need to get in there now!" The SWAT leader assured him it wouldn't be much longer.

In the warehouse Kwan approached Laura and mounted the block which had been placed in front of her. Grabbing her hair he lifted up her head and gripped her face in his hand forcing her to look at him. She flinched as he ran his fingers across her neck and squealed with the pressure it put on her arms when she moved.

"By tomorrow morning no one will know where you are, they can look all they want but they wont find you or me because we will be on our way to China, where I will become very rich supplying your services to anyone who will pay" He taunted her.

Laura tried to scream and shout at him, but he laughed. She wrenched herself out of his hand, pulling hard to her right and screamed as she dislocated her shoulder, at the same time as the SWAT teams poured in, she tried to cry out. Two members of the SWAT team cut her down and she passed out with pain as they lowered her down into Don's arms, he sat on the floor and removed the gag from her mouth, her eyes fluttered open and she looked up into his bright blue eyes through tears as the pain in her shoulder manifested itself, then she closed them again. Meanwhile one of the SWAT guys released her ankle bonds.

"Kat? .. Laura ... hey baby look at me" he brushed her hair off her face, she screwed up her face and opened her eyes again, Don could see the pain in her eyes. "She needs a doctor! ... Kat where does it hurt?" Laura stared into his eyes "Sh-oulder ... dis-located." She gasped with the pain. "They shot .. Charlie"

She closed her eyes and screwed her face up as she fought the pain. Don took her good hand in his and squeezed it. Laura opened her eyes again. "It's OK, we've got them, you're safe, ... I'm sorry I should have stopped you" Don whispered.

Laura tried to shake her head and a sent a wave of pain through her body. She tightened her grip on Don and looked into his eyes "It's me, ... planned, couldn't tell anyone." Tears trickled down her face, Don wasn't sure whether it was from the pain, relief it was all over or the confession she had just made to him. He let go of her hand and brushed the tears away then took her hand again.

"Doesn't matter ... you're here, I'm not going anywhere."

Hawkes joined them, he knelt on the floor at Laura's side "Hey Laura, I'm just gonna take a look at you." She screamed and writhed with the pain as he touched her shoulder. Don tightened his hold on her, the pain began to subside, Laura opened her eyes. Hawkes checked her pulse, "Laura, I'm sorry, EMS are on their way, we'll get you something for the pain, won't be long."

A few moments later paramedics arrived with a stretcher. They give her a shot for the pain and put her arm in a sling before easing her onto the stretcher. Don leaned over. "Hawkes will go with you, I'll see you soon." She closed her eyes and they wheeled her away as Don let her hand go. He rubbed his hand over his face and through his hair.

The SWAT leader joined him. "She gonna be OK?" he asked. Don nodded. "Yeah, dislocated shoulder, she's in a lot of pain." The SWAT Leader rubbed his shoulder "They're a bitch, had a few in my time, good news is once they get it back in you're OK in no time"

Don looked around, his eyes settled on the sheet covering a body. "She confirmed they shot Charlie Price."

"Execution style ... why don't you go with her to the hospital, we've got it contained here. The intel was good, we've found the girls, vice and immigration are coming for them. Mac's team will get what they need from here ... I'll tell Gerrard you went to get her statement, so make sure you do it with a witness to cover yourself" Don looked at the SWAT leader, not fully comprehending what he was saying. "She's your girlfriend, right? I might be tough on the outside but my kids tell me I'm really a teddy bear, now get outta here, she needs you more than we do."

Don nodded. The SWAT leader wandered away as Danny came over to process the area. He took in the distant look on Don's face, not knowing what to say to him he just clapped him on the shoulder. and whispered "She'll be fine".

Sheldon appeared at the doorway and called out "Flack, she's awake again and asking for you. We need to get her out of here and set her arm"

Don looked at Danny then turned and headed for the exit.

_

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Only one more chapter to come, will be ready late Monday._

If you want a sequel please review and let me know ...


	13. New Beginnings

_**AN**__: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine. _

**13. New Beginnings**

The elevator door opened and Laura stepped out, her right arm in a sling, and she headed for the breakroom. Mac, Danny and Stella were there. Stella gave her a hug as she walked in. "Hey, how are you?"

Laura nodded. "Fine, I just came by to say thank you, if you hadn't pulled everything together I'd be on my way to China right now."

"That wasn't an option. We would have found you. Whose idea was it for the personal trackers?" Mac joined in.

Laura explained that Charlotte had the idea and the trackers had been supplied by the FBI. She also confirmed that the tracker was in the girls navel jewellery, while the guys had theirs in their watches. Stella asked what she was going to do next.

"I'll be off for a couple of weeks, then I'll be on desk duty for a month while I get my arm back in shape, but I can live with that while I learn my new job" She told them.

"So you're getting out of vice then?" Danny asked.

"I've been trying for a couple of months, but they wouldn't even think about it while we were undercover. Breaking this ring has given me too high a profile so they don't have a choice. They had to give me a transfer." She grinned knowingly.

Don entered and slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. She leaned against him.

"I heard you were on your way over" he told her.

She looked up "Gerrard?" she asked.

"Think you can stand working with me full time?" he teased her.

She laughed "I think its more the other way around."

"So you're gonna be working with Flack?!" exclaimed Danny.

"Yeah, in part anyway. I've just been transferred to homicide, so it looks like I'll be seeing more of you all and I believe Mac I have you to thank for a lot of it." She answered.

Mac grinned. "Anyone who can still be coherent after a 36 hour shift and add value to an investigation is worth it. We're glad to have you."

Don asked if she was ready for lunch, she told him she was and started to say goodbye as the others left the room. Laura turned to follow them, Don tugged her good hand and pulled her back.

"Not so fast. ... I've got something for you" He pulled his hand from his pocket and placed a small blue velvet box in the palm of her hand. Laura looks at him confused. "You don't remember what I said last night when they-" he began with a huge mischievous grin.

Laura stopped him. "That wasn't just a distraction?" she asked her voice faltering slightly.

"It got your attention, but I don't think I got an answer. I only planned on making this request once in my life, but I guess I can make an exception seeing as you were high on morphine at the time." He paused and watched her eyes as they darted across his face and filled with tears. "Marry me Laura."

She nodded as a single tear trickled down her cheek, which he gently wiped away, before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, careful not to put pressure on her injured arm. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and he kissed her. As he pulled back he took the box from her and removed the ring, slipped the box into his pocket and slid the ring onto her finger, where she saw it for the first time, a platinum band with 3 stones, two Ceylon sapphires with a central diamond.

"It's beautiful, I love it!" She gasped. "Why here?"

"I couldn't wait until later, I've been waiting for the right time. Yesterday I was so scared I'd lost you, I don't want to waste any more time that we could have together"

"Neither do I" Laura replied as Stella came back to the breakroom. "You two still here? I forgot my coffee." Laura turned to talk to her and her ring sparkled in the light, a move not unnoticed by Stella who looked at the two of them then squealed.

"Have you- Oh my God! Congratulations!" Laura laughed. "He picks his moments, he actually proposed last night in ER as they put my shoulder back in!"

"At least you didn't realise what they were doing until it was almost done." He teased.

Lindsay and Hawkes entered. Lindsay asked what all the noise was. Don took Laura's hand "We'll tell you later, Sullivan's 7.30? ... we've got lunch waiting." He lead Laura out of the room.

Hawkes watched them go. "What's going on?" Stella grinned. "My lips are sealed, you'll find out later." Stella picked up her coffee and left.

Later Danny arrived in the locker room to find Don sitting on the bench waiting for him. "What's up Flack I got your 911."

"We've been friends a long time and I've kind of taken that for granted lately." Don started. Danny waited for him to continue "It's just that Laura's special, Almost losing her yesterday made me realise, she's the one Danny, ... things changed after the bomb, I met her during rehab, we just clicked, ... its thanks to her that I got through it, she made it to almost every session I had, she sat with me for hours when my pain was so bad I couldn't move after, she's different to all the others. ... I asked her to marry me."

"Whoa! Flack, are you sure about this?" Danny gasped. He hadn't known Don to get serious about anyone, but thinking about it he had changed since the bombing, he had taken some things a little more seriously. Seeing them earlier in the breakroom, Danny had to agree that his friend seemed happy. He couldn't begrudge him that, after all he and Lindsay had finally got themselves straight and things were good.

Don watched Danny for a moment while the news sank in. "Yeah, Danno I'm sure. ... I wanted to ask you, when we decide on a ceremony would you stand up with me, be my best man?"

Danny almost swallowed his tongue as he realised what his friend was asking. "Don't you want family for that?"

Don shook his head "You're just like my family, I wouldn't want anyone else"

Danny paused then gave a small nod. "Sure, I can do that, ... I'd be honoured. Have you told anyone else?"

"Stella knows, we're telling the others later."

_The End_

* * *

_Soccer-Bitch - thanks for your reviews. hope you like the ending._

_Sequel now up - current title "Boxes" _


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